YEREVAN, July 9. /ARKA/. The risk of fraudulent calls targeting the most vulnerable category of citizens - pensioners - is increasing. The scheme is based on social engineering: criminals imitate calls from official agencies or companies managing pension savings, attempting to gain access to funds under the pretext of 'calculation errors,' notes the press service of IDBank.
Mechanics of the scam:
The deception begins with an unexpected call: 'an error was found during recalculation, you are entitled to an additional payment, you need to confirm your data.' There is also a reverse pressure version: 'you received more than you should have, urgently return the money, otherwise your payments will be frozen, and your account will be blocked.' The scammers quickly shift the conversation to practical demands.
IDBank recommends:
- Hang up immediately. Real pension funds and management companies never resolve recalculation or refund issues over the phone.
- Call back yourself. Find the official number on the genuine website of your management company.
- Never disclose SMS codes. No bank, pension fund, or government employee has the right to ask you for a one-time password.
- Do not click on links in messages. Check the address bar.
- Discuss this scheme with parents and elderly relatives. The older a person is, the higher their trust in calls from official entities tends to be.
